CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu assembly secretariat has declared a vacancy following the demise of Erode East MLA and former Union minister EVKS Elangovan, prompting speculation about an upcoming bypoll.
Elangovan, a veteran Congress leader, passed away on Dec 14 due to age-related illnesses.
The Election Commission's directive on Friday to chief electoral officers across the country fuels the speculation of a bypoll. The commission sought details of notified vacancies with respect to legislative assemblies and Lok Sabha.
“The chief electoral officers have been told to enter the said vacancies on the election planning portal, along with election petition status, if any, by Dec 20 without fail. Since the vacancy arose more than a year before the assembly election, it is likely to hold a bypoll,” said a source.
Incidentally, the state did not witness bypolls to four seats in recent years after the demise of the sitting MLAs, KPP Samy (Tiruvottiyur), S Kathavarayan (Gudiyatham), J Anbazhagan, and R Doraikkannu. These MLAs died in February, June, and October 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite notification of the vacancies, by-elections were not held. The seats ultimately went to the polls during the general assembly elections of 2021, along with the other 230 constituencies.